This is How it Will Be
by BoundLight
Summary: His last regeneration had been so painful both because of his familiarity with the body, and also because he knew that the regeneration would be the end. It was a finality. He'd never see the Master again. If only he'd known what the future held. In other words, the Doctor and his previous regeneration hook up with the Master. Sex with feels. 10th Doctor/Master/11th Doctor SEE NOTE


Dear reader,

You may or may not know that ffnet has rules against explicit sex. Well. Really explicit anyway. Sometimes it's hit or miss, but this... well, this is the sexiest thing I've ever written, and rather than post it and have it forcibly removed, it is being posted over at ao3 (archive of our own) in its entirety, which you can access with the following link. This website also has a thing against posting links, and won't even let me post it with spaces breaking it up, so you'll have to remove all the spaces for it to work, as well as put in dashes and all that jazz. Sorry to make you work.

http colon dash dash archive of our own . org dash works dash 994309

Just because I can, I'll post the first part of the story here... but you'll need the link for the rest.

Also, I didn't feel like saying "the previous Doctor" so he is simply "the regeneration."

* * *

The Doctor sat in his darkened bedroom watching the Master breathe evenly in and out.

The Master was naked, with silk red sheets tangled around his legs, covering just enough of him to be modest. The Doctor's eyes trailed to the slight hint of sweat cooling at the small of his back.

He didn't know why, but he'd been thinking more and more of the last time he'd seen the Master, when he'd been so alone that he'd literally conquered Earth just to have someone to listen to the drums with.

He trailed his fingers through the Master's hair.

When they said "He'd knock four times," he'd assumed the Master would be killing him, and that was almost poetic. It had nearly crushed him when the Master had gone instead. Even more so when he realized he would by dying anyway. He thought of how alone he'd felt when the Master had disappeared into the time lock. His regeneration had been so painful both because of his familiarity with the body, and also because he knew that the regeneration would be the end. It was a finality. He'd never see the Master again.

If only he'd known what his future held. It would have made everything so much easier.

That gave him an idea. It was a potential paradox in the making, but he knew he was quite clever. He could find a way to avoid it.

He pressed a kiss to the Master's forehead, pleased when the Master leaned into him. "I'll be right back."

"Mm."

* * *

He found himself easily on a planet that looked remarkably similar to Gallifrey. At least at night when the chrome tinted leaves sparked silver in the moonlight.

His TARDIS had settled quite comfortably beside his previous regenerations. He patted her consul affectionately. He knew she loved to gossip.

He only needed to walk a short way before he found himself perched on a rock outcropping. His previous regeneration turned to him with a question rather obvious in his eyes. "If you're looking for someone to help out, you may need to go back a bit further. My regeneration is going to trigger soon." He frowned at the Doctor and shook his head sadly. "Damn. Still not a red head."

"Nope, still same silly face, hair and all. Though yours was far better. Floofy-er. Is that a word? Floofy-er? Sounds like a word... And I don't need anyone else. I came for you specifically."

"Why?"

"Because I remember how hard this regeneration was, and I have something that will help."

"So you've come to alter our time line? Our professors would have your head. You'll create a paradox." His regeneration smiled painfully. It was clear he didn't mean it. His eyes trailed down the Doctor's form, eying the bow tie curiously.

"Actually, I've worked it out, this will change nothing. Well. Not nothing. Something, certainly. But nothing important. Well, I say nothing important... Look, I have something I need you to see."

That caught his regeneration's ear. "Big enough that I need to see it, but small enough that it won't change anything?"

"Not small. _Important_. Just out of our control."

His regeneration still looked a bit uncertain, but his curiosity had been stirred, and that was something the Doctor could never ignore. He stood with a boyish grin. "Well, allons-y then."

The Doctor took his regeneration's hand and lead him to the TARDIS. If he caused a paradox, fine. It would be small and there would be two of him to fix it. It wasn't like he was saving his regeneration from death. He'd done far worse before, really. In any case, his regeneration didn't fight him. He hesitated before bordering the wrong TARDIS, but once inside he relaxed.

"I like what you've done with the place."

"You know our girl. Did it herself."

His regeneration smiled. "Did you bring me just to show me the seats?"

The Doctor tugged his regeneration down the hallway towards their bedroom. He paused outside it and opened the door as quietly as possible.

The Master had shifted and now was curled up on the Doctor's side of the bed. He was facing away from the door, his blonde hair creating a faint halo. Light from the door caressed the Master's skin, and followed the curve of his spine, down past his ribs, down to his hips where the sheets blocked the rest of the view.

His regeneration backed up a step. "But he... he's gone. I saw him. He was sucked into the time lock, I _saw_ him!"

The Doctor watched the Master affectionately. "He gets out."

"How? When?"

"Spoilers."

"But...we could _help_...we could... could..." the regeneration breathed out harshly. "So it's okay to know he's _going_ to get out?"

"Yes. He gets out and we find him. But it's up to him. You have to wait for him."

His regeneration looked at him uncertainly. The expression looked wrong on his face. "And he _wants_ to come with us? We don't... force him, do we?"

The Doctor smiled a bit sadly. "No, we don't. Not really, anyway. I'm sure he could argue the point if he wanted to, but where it counts, it was consensual."

His regeneration looked into the room longingly. "Can I...?"

"Yes."

His regeneration stepped quietly into the room. It felt weird to be tentative in his own _room_, but he felt out of place, which he supposed he was at the moment.

The Master hadn't stirred from his position on the bed, which the regeneration found odd. The Master he'd known had always slept lightly, jumping to his feet at the slightest hint of a new presence.

By the time he reached the bed, the Master was still asleep. He looked so... peaceful. The last time he'd seen him this relaxed he'd been a child on Gallifrey. And that almost broke his hearts.

The regeneration sat down, the mattress dipping ever so slightly with his weight.

The Master snuffled, but he didn't wake.

The Doctor watched from the door as his regeneration hesitantly reached out a hand and dragged it through the Master's sleep ruffled hair. He'd never known himself to move with such restraint, but the Master always brought out something careful in him.

The Master mumbled something unintelligible and shifted closer, pressing his head into the regeneration's hand, and the Doctor watched the smile that over took his regeneration's face, chasing away the lingering uncertainty he'd seen up until that point.

He pet the Master until his hand moved of its own accord, and forced him to go lower. To drop to the Master's neck and feel his pulse, down across his shoulders, down his spine, one vertebrae at a time, until he didn't dare trail lower. Even this felt like a violation – and he realized with a startled frown that of course it _was_. He forced his hand back to the Master's hair, tangling his fingers in blonde strands.

"Mm." The Master shifted again, and the regeneration found his hand accidentally ghosting over the Master's lips.

The Doctor watched his regeneration's eyes fly wide, but before he could whip his hand away the Master sleepily grabbed his wrist and tucked it against his chest. The regeneration tugged at it halfheartedly, but the Master held fast.

The regeneration looked at the Doctor for help. The Doctor didn't remember ever looking so terrified. He stepped into the room.

"_Help._" The regeneration hissed. He looked desperately at the Doctor.

"Why?"

The regeneration thought he saw a hint of lust in the Doctor's eyes.

"_Why? What do you mean_ why_, help before he wakes up and I ruin everything!_"

"_No_, I don't think so..."

"_Help, damn you!_"

The Doctor smiled and walked to the opposite side of the bed, climbing in behind the Master with a familiarity the regeneration envied.

The Master mumbled again as the bed shifted. The Doctor shushed him, and guided him back until the Master rested comfortably against him.

The Master settled easily, though he still clung to the regeneration's hand.

The Doctor and the Master looked so peaceful together that the regeneration felt he ought to leave them be. He'd seen what his future self meant for him to see. And he felt that he was right. This would help him. He wasn't going to end up alone.

It was going to be perfect.

He moved to leave, but the Master made a sound of protest, and the Doctor grabbed his arm.

The Master shifted, yawned, and blinked blearily. "Mm. Just where do you think you're going?"

The regeneration looked at the Master with wide eyes. "Well..."

"Get _in_."

The regeneration really couldn't argue with that.

**For more go to- http colon dash dash archive of our own . org dash works dash 994309**


End file.
